This is just a weird coincidence but here are the stats for the two guys:

Receptions/Targets: Wes 73/110 and Julian 76/110

Yards: Wes 778 and Julian 775

Average yards/reception: Wes 10.7 and Julian 10.2

TD's: Wes 10 and Julian 5

Yards/game: Wes 59.8 and Julian 59.6

Yards after Catch: Wes 333 and Julian 337

I am not comparing the guys talent-wise. Wes is the better and certainly more experienced WR, IMO. However, other than TDs, the stats are eerily similar at this stage of the season. Found it weird and thought others might also.

Most importantly, look at their stats over the last 5-games! Of course this is actually after 6 games for Wes since he didn't play Thursday!!! What a brilliant move BB!!!

It funny because WW wouldn't have the nine tds in our system but he would have had better/more consistent numbers then Julian does, probably around 95 catches on pace for 115 or so. Seems like the slot position garners consistent attention from Brady.

This is just a weird coincidence but here are the stats for the two guys:

Receptions/Targets: Wes 73/110 and Julian 76/110

Yards: Wes 778 and Julian 775

Average yards/reception: Wes 10.7 and Julian 10.2

TD's: Wes 10 and Julian 5

Yards/game: Wes 59.8 and Julian 59.6

Yards after Catch: Wes 333 and Julian 337

I am not comparing the guys talent-wise. Wes is the better and certainly more experienced WR, IMO. However, other than TDs, the stats are eerily similar at this stage of the season. Found it weird and thought others might also.

This is just a weird coincidence but here are the stats for the two guys:

Receptions/Targets: Wes 73/110 and Julian 76/110

Yards: Wes 778 and Julian 775

Average yards/reception: Wes 10.7 and Julian 10.2

TD's: Wes 10 and Julian 5

Yards/game: Wes 59.8 and Julian 59.6

Yards after Catch: Wes 333 and Julian 337

I am not comparing the guys talent-wise. Wes is the better and certainly more experienced WR, IMO. However, other than TDs, the stats are eerily similar at this stage of the season. Found it weird and thought others might also.

TD's matter. So do the number of consecutive years of such performance.

This is just a weird coincidence but here are the stats for the two guys:

Receptions/Targets: Wes 73/110 and Julian 76/110

Yards: Wes 778 and Julian 775

Average yards/reception: Wes 10.7 and Julian 10.2

TD's: Wes 10 and Julian 5

Yards/game: Wes 59.8 and Julian 59.6

Yards after Catch: Wes 333 and Julian 337

I am not comparing the guys talent-wise. Wes is the better and certainly more experienced WR, IMO. However, other than TDs, the stats are eerily similar at this stage of the season. Found it weird and thought others might also.

the true comparison is actually Welker and Danny IR not Edelman

This is not a contest or a game of one-upmanship. It's simply awesome for Edelman that his performance this year is even comparable to Wes' numbers. For Pats' fans, that is a happy situation. That's all.

Maybe not all but a very large percentage, sure. Without Brady, it's hard to imagine Edelman matching Wes' stats. But give some credit to Edelman as well. The guy is playing his rear end off for this team.

This is just a weird coincidence but here are the stats for the two guys:

Receptions/Targets: Wes 73/110 and Julian 76/110

Yards: Wes 778 and Julian 775

Average yards/reception: Wes 10.7 and Julian 10.2

TD's: Wes 10 and Julian 5

Yards/game: Wes 59.8 and Julian 59.6

Yards after Catch: Wes 333 and Julian 337

I am not comparing the guys talent-wise. Wes is the better and certainly more experienced WR, IMO. However, other than TDs, the stats are eerily similar at this stage of the season. Found it weird and thought others might also.

TD's matter. So do the number of consecutive years of such performance.

Wes is a great receiver. This thread wasn't started to claim that Edelman is equal to or better than Wes. The two don't compete against each other. It's a weird coincidence that the two seem to have so many matching stats. Edelman is making a huge contribution to his team this year, in a mostly unexpected manner. That makes us (Pats fans) pretty darn happy and lessens the impact of Wes' loss.

Maybe not all but a very large percentage, sure. Without Brady, it's hard to imagine Edelman matching Wes' stats. But give some credit to Edelman as well. The guy is playing his rear end off for this team.

The stats are surprisingly similar though Welker has missed 2 games so his per game numbers would be higher than Edleman's (I don't recall Edleman missing any games yet). Edleman's best games seem to have been with Gronk on the field. Lets see how he is the next few weeks Gronkless but so far he has been terrific and i was happy that he was on the team simply as a punt returner. Everything else has been a super pleasant surprise. I am not giving up on Danny A, but so far he has been a disappointment to me. Hopefully next year he can get healthy and catch 80-100 passes like I assumed he would this year.

Maybe not all but a very large percentage, sure. Without Brady, it's hard to imagine Edelman matching Wes' stats. But give some credit to Edelman as well. The guy is playing his rear end off for this team.

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The stats are surprisingly similar though Welker has missed 2 games so his per game numbers would be higher than Edleman's (I don't recall Edleman missing any games yet). Edleman's best games seem to have been with Gronk on the field. Lets see how he is the next few weeks Gronkless but so far he has been terrific and i was happy that he was on the team simply as a punt returner. Everything else has been a super pleasant surprise. I am not giving up on Danny A, but so far he has been a disappointment to me. Hopefully next year he can get healthy and catch 80-100 passes like I assumed he would this year.

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Actually, surprisingly, Edelman's numbers with and without Gronk are pretty much the same. What is even more surprising is that his numbers when the Pats are trailing are far superior to when they are leading. I take that to mean that Brady has begun to rely on Edelman when he needs production the most.

Maybe not all but a very large percentage, sure. Without Brady, it's hard to imagine Edelman matching Wes' stats. But give some credit to Edelman as well. The guy is playing his rear end off for this team.

The stats are surprisingly similar though Welker has missed 2 games so his per game numbers would be higher than Edleman's (I don't recall Edleman missing any games yet). Edleman's best games seem to have been with Gronk on the field. Lets see how he is the next few weeks Gronkless but so far he has been terrific and i was happy that he was on the team simply as a punt returner. Everything else has been a super pleasant surprise. I am not giving up on Danny A, but so far he has been a disappointment to me. Hopefully next year he can get healthy and catch 80-100 passes like I assumed he would this year.

Actually, surprisingly, Edelman's numbers with and without Gronk are pretty much the same. What is even more surprising is that his numbers when the Pats are trailing are far superior to when they are leading. I take that to mean that Brady has begun to rely on Edelman when he needs production the most.

Pats' trailing: 36 receptions, 425 yards, 11.8 average, 3 TD

Pats' ahead: 25 receptions, 196 yards, 7.8 average, 1 TD

Since the Pats seem to be trailing a lot this year I do not find that surprising. His numbers may be similar with or without Gronk but I feel that is an anomoly. They have less losses without Gronk yet no one thinks the offense was better pre Gronk. Brady spent long stretches forcing the ball to Edleman pre Gronk (especially when Amendola was hurt). For a short while he was amongst the league leaders of receptions because he seemed to be the only one who could catch the ball. Edleman is a great complementary piece but that's it. Welker was great when everyone knew the ball was going to him and other than the first Jets game has Edleman ever had to be the absolute go to guy and got it done for a win? We will see this weekend without the 2 rookie receivers. Is Edleman the guy or is it Vereen. Last week without Gronk, Vereen was the "binky" (as Brady's go to guy gets called around these parts). I really hope I am wrong and Edleman has a 10/120/2 game tomorrow.

This is just a weird coincidence but here are the stats for the two guys:

Receptions/Targets: Wes 73/110 and Julian 76/110

Yards: Wes 778 and Julian 775

Average yards/reception: Wes 10.7 and Julian 10.2

TD's: Wes 10 and Julian 5

Yards/game: Wes 59.8 and Julian 59.6

Yards after Catch: Wes 333 and Julian 337

I am not comparing the guys talent-wise. Wes is the better and certainly more experienced WR, IMO. However, other than TDs, the stats are eerily similar at this stage of the season. Found it weird and thought others might also.

Most importantly, look at their stats over the last 5-games! Of course this is actually after 6 games for Wes since he didn't play Thursday!!! What a brilliant move BB!!!

Edelman: 28rec/312yrds/3-TD

Amendola: 22rec/273yrds/2-TD

Welker: 23rec/223yrds/1-TD

Brilliance would have been signing Edelman to a 2-3 year deal. I feel he has priced himself out of the Pats salary structure after the $$$ given to Amendola and Gronk.

I still believe that Amendola could put up better stats than Wes or Edelman, but not convinced he can stay on the field

This is just a weird coincidence but here are the stats for the two guys:

Receptions/Targets: Wes 73/110 and Julian 76/110

Yards: Wes 778 and Julian 775

Average yards/reception: Wes 10.7 and Julian 10.2

TD's: Wes 10 and Julian 5

Yards/game: Wes 59.8 and Julian 59.6

Yards after Catch: Wes 333 and Julian 337

I am not comparing the guys talent-wise. Wes is the better and certainly more experienced WR, IMO. However, other than TDs, the stats are eerily similar at this stage of the season. Found it weird and thought others might also.

Most importantly, look at their stats over the last 5-games! Of course this is actually after 6 games for Wes since he didn't play Thursday!!! What a brilliant move BB!!!

Edelman: 28rec/312yrds/3-TD

Amendola: 22rec/273yrds/2-TD

Welker: 23rec/223yrds/1-TD

Brilliance would have been signing Edelman to a 2-3 year deal. I feel he has priced himself out of the Pats salary structure after the $$$ given to Amendola and Gronk.

I still believe that Amendola could put up better stats than Wes or Edelman, but not convinced he can stay on the field

You bring up a good point, we signed Amendola to a...what was it? Three year? Two year? 7 million per deal. It doesn't leave a lot for Edelman - if anything - I think we signed the wrong guy and I think Amendola will be gone next year, or at least his pay will be cut.

And on the flip side...do you really want to over pay for Edelman? I mean I like what he has done, he has improved, he's young, but this guy is the definition of injury. Now he has avoided it thus far, but you know it's going to happen with him and then what? Then we are paying a guy who will be on the sidelines - I've seen enough of that this year - I've watched guys we signed who have a history of injury problems, have injury problems. I think it's what's going to keep us from winning a Super Bowl - pay people that can stay on the field.

Wes may and probably will have the better career when it's all said and done, and Edelman's slow start hurt us even if the stats are the same now.

But right now and into the playoffs, as long as Edelman is healthy I want him over Welker. I think he's a better and more versatile and tougher player right now.

I don't know if he's as clutch as we need (too small a sample size), but I'm more than willing to find out.

In the end, the Welker versus Amendola and/or Welker versus Edelman thing has proven pretty irrelevant (though it could become relevant in the postseason depending on how the guys play against each other if we play Denver). The real offensive issue is the problems we have had at the tight end position since last year.

Great point, Spanky! Our Tom loves to throw short stuff and is great at hitting his TEs. Without Gronk and Hern, it needs to be our #1 draft or FA priority in 2014.

This is just a weird coincidence but here are the stats for the two guys:

Receptions/Targets: Wes 73/110 and Julian 76/110

Yards: Wes 778 and Julian 775

Average yards/reception: Wes 10.7 and Julian 10.2

TD's: Wes 10 and Julian 5

Yards/game: Wes 59.8 and Julian 59.6

Yards after Catch: Wes 333 and Julian 337

I am not comparing the guys talent-wise. Wes is the better and certainly more experienced WR, IMO. However, other than TDs, the stats are eerily similar at this stage of the season. Found it weird and thought others might also.

Edelmans been great this year and has shown something special when he can stay healthy but still not on the same level as Welker. One thing to consider is the other receivers each QB has thrown to.

NE:

Amendola

Dobson/Thompkins

Boyce/Collie

Gronk/Mulligan/Hoom

Den:

Thomas

Decker

Holliday

J Thomas/Dreesen

So while one was helped by being basically the only receiver at times the other was hurt by being one of many. As TFB said I think they would have still signed Edelman if they signed Welker (given his STs ability and small contract) and seeing them both on the field at the same time would have made this WR core something really dangerous with the rooks.

I still like the guy but am not rooting for him since he plays for the Donkeys.

I don't root for him to get hurt though. Hope he can play out his career with relative health.

That being said, I always liked Edelman. The kid's a football player. Plays with a bit of reckless abandon which could be a detriment to his health. Love his versatility and PR abilities.

Hope he gets signed and stays a Patriot but we all know how that can work out sometimes so I'm not holding out hope.

As long as the Pats get good production out of the slot whether it be a combination of receivers or just one is good enough for me. It doesn't matter.

As far as injuries are concerned, this whole team is an injury. 14 players on IR and numerous others out at one time or another? I'm not holding anything against DA or JE because they're no different than anyone else as far as injuries are concerned. It seems like they're holding this team together with duct tape.

He got 13/139/1 but it wasn't enough on this day. Have to give the Dolphins some props. They desperately needed the game and pulled through. For the Pats, it was one major issue - red zone efficiency was 1 out of 4. This is where we missed Gronk the most. Outplayed the Phins on everything else - TOP, plays, yards passed, yards rushed, 1st downs, 3rd down efficiency, etc. Just could not convert enough in the red zone. This is must-fix issue and coaching/play-calling must help fix thisor we are not going far in the playoffs.